Prepare For Another Defeat’ — APC Fires Back At Peter Obi Over 2023 Election Claim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the claim by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, that he won the 2023 presidential election, challenging him to prepare for another defeat in the 2027 poll.

According to Ireporter Online, Obi made the claim during an interview on Arise News, where he maintained that the 2023 election outcome did not reflect what happened at the polls.

Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), said he remained convinced that he won the election despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring President Bola Tinubu the winner.

He attributed the disputed outcome to what he described as a glitch during the collation and transmission of election results.

Asked whether he still believed he won the election, Obi said he would maintain the position for as long as he lived, insisting that those who conducted the election were aware of what happened.

The former Anambra State governor also criticised the Tinubu administration over its management of funds he estimated at ₦16 trillion from the removal of the petrol subsidy.

Obi questioned the impact of the alleged savings on Nigerians, arguing that citizens were still facing economic hardship, insecurity and infrastructure challenges.

Reacting to the former Labour Party candidate’s comments, APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, challenged Obi to provide evidence to support his claim of victory.

Yilwatda spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, who questioned how Obi could claim to have won an election in which INEC officially declared another candidate the winner.

Tooki also argued that Obi lacked polling agents in several parts of the country, particularly in the northern states, and questioned why INEC did not declare him the winner if he had actually secured the majority of votes.

The APC aide subsequently advised Obi to prepare for what he described as another defeat in the 2027 presidential election.

The ruling party also defended the Tinubu administration’s handling of the revenue generated following the removal of the petrol subsidy.

Responding to Obi’s question about the whereabouts and use of the estimated ₦16 trillion, Tooki urged him to compare the allocations received by state governments before and after Tinubu assumed office.

He also cited the reported end of prolonged fuel queues and the implementation of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme as examples of government interventions under the current administration.

Tooki questioned what Obi expected the Federal Government to do with the funds, insisting that the administration’s policies and interventions should be assessed based on their impact across the country.

The exchange comes as political parties and their candidates intensify preparations and rhetoric ahead of the 2027 presidential election.